Rail anchor



Feb. 22, 1927. 1,618,674

F. A. PRESTON RAIL ANCHOR Filed May 6, 1926 v 2 sh t s t z Patented Feb. 2 2, 1927.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK A. PRESTON, OFHIGHLAND PARK, rrnrnois, assisnoia TO THE P a M COMPANY, or CHICAGO, rumors, a oonronarion or ILLINOIS.

' RAIL ANCHOR.

, Application filed May 6 gagement with each other by the resilience of one of the members.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved two-piece anchor device consisting of aspring yoke member adapted to extend across beneath the rail base, and a tapered key member adapted to be driven between the rail base and one end of the spring yoke so as to stress the yoke. In this connection the invention contemplates an arrangement of parts 'iniwhich the tapered key is driven through the yoke a direction toward the adjacent cross tieso,

that the side face of the yoke will bear flatwise against the tie.

The yoke is offsuch form as to provide a tie engaging face which extends a substantial distance below the bottom surface of the rail base so that the anchor device may be used in connection with pole ties without danger of the yoke member being forced into the spacebetween the rail base and the curved upper cornersof such ties.

The invention also includes a new and improved form of wedge key in which the wedging surfaces are so formed as to stress one end of the yoke both vertically and laterally of the rail and so as to exert a torsional stress on the body of the yoke when the key is driven home.

The invention further contemplates the other new and improved constructions and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described in connection with the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a cross section of the base portion of a railroad rail. with a rail anchor constructed in accordance with my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the device in position on the rail so as to abut against one of the vertical facesof a cross tie.

Fig; 3 is a side View in elevation of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and j Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the yoke in positionon the rail base and 19a. ammo. 107,063.

The preferred embodiment of the invention consistsuof a yoke member 10 and a key 11, the latter of which is driven between. the base portion 12 of the rail and one extremity of the yoke. ber embraces the opposite edges of the base of the rail and is positioned on the rail so as to bear fiatwise against the vertical face of a cross tie 13. The key member is driven in a direction toward the cross tie, against which the yoke bears, and is formed, as will be, hereinaftervdescribed sov as to stress one end of the body portion of the yoke when the key is driven home.

The yoke is made preferably from a steel bar, one end of which is formed with a hook shaped portion 14 providing a short jaw 15 which fits over' one edge of the rail base. The space underlying this jaw is of such size that when the anchor is in its applied position, the flange 16 of the rail base is gripped tightly between the under surface of the jaw 15 and the top surface of the body portion of the yoke. The portion of the body of the yoke designated by the reference character 17 is straight and bears fiatwise against the undersurface of the rail base to substantially'the center of the rail. The tight engagement of the jaw portion 14 On the base flange of the rail normally holds the portion 17 of the yoke against the bottom surface of the rail independently of the action of the key 11. The other end of the yoke is formed with a relatively large hook shaped portion 18 which extends around the flange '19 of the rail base. This hook portion of the yoke extends downwardly with respect to the bottom of the rail from a point near the center of the base, the extremity being bent upwardly and inwardly with respect to the rail so as to project over the inclined surface of the rail base. The hook portion is of such size that it may be hooked The yoke memthe opposite edge of the rail. base. This.

manner of applying the yoke to the rail is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The

there no a ween the vertie l a and the vertical wall l .ie no new on lit. the

amount of such clearance will, of course, do

pend upon the thickness of the base flange of the rail and the force used in applying the yoke. It the yoke is applied to a rail having a relativily thin base fiange,or if sullicient force exerted in driving it to its applied position, the vertical wall 21 of the jaw portion may be driven into contact with the vertical surface 200i the rail base. The yoke is held against transverse movement' in a direction to loosen the grip of jaw by means of the key 11. The key is angular in cross section and bears against the top and vertical surfaces of the rail use. The portion engaging the vertical surface of the rail base preferably stops short of the lower edge of the rail so that the key, when it is driven to its applied position, will clear the top face of the cross tie. The top and side surfaces and ill ol the key are tapered so as to provide wed go surfaces, which, when tion.

the he is driven through the yoke, longitudinally of the rail, flexes the hook portion 18 of the yoke up *ardly and outwardly with respect to the rail base. The amount of flexing to which the yoke is subjected will readily appear from a comparison of the dotted line )osition oi Fig. l with reference to the full ine position. In addition to the vertical distortion of the yoke, the tapered surface of the key twists the yoke so that the under surface of the long aw bears fiatwise against the key. This torsioning of the yoke increases its grip on the rail by :lorcing the edge 26 of the body and the edge 270i jaw 15 into tight gripping engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base. The tendency which the sprin yoke has to return to the position from Whic 1 it was sprung holds the key intightfrictional engagement with the top and vertical surfaces of the rail base and also holds the key from backing out of its applied position. The yoke may be applied to the rail on either side of the tie so that the key may be driven toward or away from the tie as desired. It is preferable, however, to drive the key toward the adjacent cross tie. With such arrangement the yoke is held by the tie at substantially right angles to the rail while the key being driven to its applied posi- In order to provide a relatively wide striking face on the key, one end of the key is provided with a lateralflange 28.

- The anchor device is shown in the drawings in connection with a pole tie forthe purpose of illustrating the manner in which the relatively large hook shaped portion 18 provides a tie bearing face which extends below the curved upper corner of the tie. hen the anchor is applied adjacent to a cross tie havingsquared upper corners, the body portion of the yoke'bears throughout its entlre length against the cross tie.

TVhen the anchor is in its applied position, the upward distortion and the torsional stress of the yoke produced by the tapered surface 23 oil the key, forces the body portion of the yoke up against the bottom surface of the rail base and holds the key in firm frictional contact with the top surface of the base. The outward flexing of the hook 18, produced by the tapered side portion 24 of the key, exerts a spring grip transversely of the rai, which holds the jaw portion 14 in tight gripping engagement with the opposite edge of the rail base andholds the key 11 in frictional engagement with the vertical surface of the rail base.

-Wliilethe invention has been shown and described in connection with one specific embodiment. it will be obvious that modifications in structure and arrangement of the parts may be made without departure from the spirit of the invention. The invention therefore contemplates all such modifications in structure and arrangement of parts as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim;

1. 2i. rail anchor comprising a rail base bracing yoke and akey adapted to be into nudging position between the base flange and the yoke; the engagement between the key and yoke being such that the yoke is s bfccted to torsional stress when the lacy driven to its wedging position.

2. .l. rail anchor comprising rail base muln'acing yoke and a key adapted to be driven into wedging position between the base llaugc and th yoke; the key being .l'oruied with a tapered surface, whereby one end of the yoke is flexed upwardly and outwardly when the hey is driven to its applied position. j

:3. A rail anchor connn'ising a rail base (.unlu'ueiug yoke and a key adapted to be driven into wedging position between the base flange and the yoke; the key being formed on its top and side faces with tapered surfaces, whereby one end of the yoke is ticked upwardly and outwardly and the body portion of the yoke is subjected to torsional stress when the key is driven to its applied position.

4-. A rail anchor comprising a spring metal yoke formed at one end with a jaw portion adapted to grip one edge of the rail base and at the other end with a relatively large hook shaped portion which extends downwardly from the bottom surface of the base and over the upper surface thereof, and a key member formed with tapered surfaces and adapted to be driven longitudinally of the rail into wedging position between the top and vertical faces of the rail base and the inner face of said hook shaped portion of the yoke.

5. A rail anchor comprising a spring metal. yoke member adapted to bear against a cross tie and formed at one end with a jaw portion adapted to grip one edge of the rail base and at the other end with a relatively large hook shaped portion which extends downwardly from the bottom surface of the base to provide an extended tie bearing face and projects over the upper surface of the'base, and a key member formed with tapered surfaces and adapted to be driven toward the tie against which said yoke abuts and into wedging position between the top and vertical faces of rail base and the inner face of said hook shaped portion of the yoke.

6. A rail anchor consisting of a resilient yoke adapted to bear against the cross tie and formed at one end with a hook shape-d portion, providing a rail base receiving recess, the vertical dimension of which is normally less than the thickness of the rail base when the anchor is free of the rail and adapted to be driven into wedging engagement with one edge of the rail base, formed at the other end with a relatively large hook portion which extends downwardly from the bottom of the base to provide an extended tie abutting face and terminates in the position above the top surface of the rail base, and a key adapted to be driven in a dlrectlon toward the cross tie against which the yoke bears and into wedgmg position between the rail base and the inner surface of said large hook portion; said key being formed to confine its engagement with the rail to the top and vertical faces of the rail base, and being formed on its top and side faces with tapered surfaces which flex the large hook portions of the yoke upwardly and outwardly with respect to the rail base and subject the body portion of said yoke to torsional stress when the key is driven to its operative position.

7. A rail anchor consisting of a rail base embracing yoke adapted to be applied to the base portion of a railin a position to bear against a cross tie and formed at one end with a jaw, the under surface of which is normally parallel to the edge of the rail base in a direction longitudinally of the rail, and a key formed on its top with a surface tapered longitudinally of the rail and adapted to be driven between the rail base and said parallel surface of said aw, whereby the jaw end of said anchor is flexed to move said under surface into flat gripping engagement with the tapered surface of said key.

8. A rail anchor consisting of a rail base embracing yoke adapted to be applied to the base portion of a rail in a position to bear against a cross tie and formed at one end with a jaw portion, the under surface of which is normally parallel to the edge of the rail when the anchor is in its initial position on the rail, and a key formed on the top and side faces with tapered surfaces and adapted to be driven between the rail base and said under surface of said jaw portion, whereby the jaw portion is flexed to bring the above mentioned parallel surfaces into flat gripping engagement with the tapered surfaces of said key.

rnnnnarox A. PRESTON. 

